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Month / May 2018

I’ve been thinking about this existential question Shakespeare first penned for the mouth of Hamlet. I wonder sometimes–as I listen to and read proposals for the “Will be’s” of blockchain–how many of these ideas are simply words on a page spoken to empty skulls?

I’m an ascerbic thinker. It’s what I do. Crypto has given me plenty of opportunity to exercise this tone. Am I proud of that? Nah…but I do enjoy it.

If you take a look at the actors on this stage you’ll find some amazing people. That’s why I’m here. It’s people who are leading with thoughtfulness that I’m drawn to.

Rob Viglione is one of those people. He leads ZenCash. Here’s a great talk he gave in March. Some people are worth paying attention to and ZenCash, Rob, and Co. are worth noting. Put this into your skull–especially if it’s numb.

Even drink napkins speak to me about Crypto (I need a Therapist)

Last year in October (2017) CryptoKitties exploded onto the Ethereum MainNet. The viral success of the blockchain game that breeds digital kittens almost crippled the network. It’s been written about a ton already so I won’t retell the story here. After all I want to talk about Zombies.

Here’s a link to a good write up on how the Ethereum Community addressed the crisis.

As I’ve said before Scalability continues to be one of the main areas of focus for developers and entrepreneurs in 2018. The blockchain is good for many things but throughput is not one of them.

Enter Zombies. Loom Network’s ZombieChain (article here) is one offering tackling the scalability issue in hopes that the next CryptoKitties doesn’t end the world.

I don’t know, some people really hate @realDonaldTrump. Time will tell I suppose; Casper is on the way and Plasma and sharding and DAGS and, and, …n. Makes me think of this SuperLotto sign in front of the San Diego Convention Center. (Seriously, I need a Therapist)

Today I’m in San Diego for a cryptocurrency conference.The weather is beautiful outside it’s a perfect day.There are people here from all over the world.Just had lunch.

My pockets are stuffed with business cards.I hate business cards.As I write this I’m listening to someone to my left talk about how they “pivoted” their business and created a token for runners…”kinda like Sonic the Hedge Hog”.I love crypto.

The presenter is having problems with the audio.It’s an awkward Friday afternoon. I’m loving it!

Aligned Incentives

Why Blockchain?It’s a simple question and sometimes I wonder how many people in this room and in crypto have taken the time to really ask it.I’m asking it right now.

The project I’m working on is noble.There are big ambitions which is why it’s worth my time.I’m a sucker for Noble and Ambitious.However, I’m also a realist.

Millennials are some of my favorite people.I love their hope and willingness to rethink the world.Technology is like the Marijuana and Free Love of this generation.

EarthCycle.io just dropped their video.I wonder if they’ve spent as much time on their pitch and multimedia (which is impressive) as they have on the fundamentals of their business model and technology.(Why blockchain?).

Anyway, back to Aligned Incentives.Perhaps one of the strongest cases for Why Blockchain?Is aligned incentives.

People are selfish.We all want what we want.I like beer for instance.I really don’t care about the environment if I’m honest.Sorry.I’m not proud of that…just being honest for the sake of this point.

Aligned Incentives means that if EarthCycle.io figured out a way to get me my favorite craft beer like dollar shave club figured out razors, I’d be all about EarthCycle Coin…because I like beer, and they also had a cool video, but it would be more about the beer.

The power of aligning incentives on the blockchain is simple. It means that an Irish jerk like me (think younger less angry Archie Bunker) with more regard for the stout at lunch than the beautiful blue sky hanging over this auditorium, could have joined the noble ambitions of EarthCycle.io to preserve that beauty for generations, if they’d only figured out how to get me that Stout at a discount and maybe also add drone delivery…also let’s make it on demand like Uber.

What can I say? I want the world to know I love Charles Hoskinson. Here’s Chuck and Rob Viglione of ZenCash chatting about their collaboration and the implementation of IOHK’s Treasury Framework into ZenCash.

Today I was greeted at home by this piece of junk mail on our coffee table. Normally, I ignore this wastedump spot in our house because it’s littered with pointless distractions, gimmicks, and maybe every once in awhile a bill or notice I want to avoid.

Today however, I stopped in my tracks. Sometimes the Universe speaks through the oddest medium. This afternoon it was this piece of eye catching waste trying to manipulate my fingers to open it, I didn’t. Instead, I extracted the value of the thought, got the message, and completely ignored the underlying gimmick.

The trash can is still your destiny, Envelope!

It’s my job to Love myself

I’ve been thinking a lot about love. Not romantic wine and roses kinda love. Another kind of love. I call it changing poopy diapers kind of love. Wine and Roses is pretty easy…poopy diapers not so much.

Sometimes I have to change my own poopy diapers. In fact isn’t that the task of adulthood? Changing your own diapers… (it’s a metaphor, go with it)

self-a·ware·ness

noun

conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires.

“the process can be painful but it leads to greater self-awareness”

I decided to write what should have been on the inside of that piece of junk mail.

Dear Alistair,

This is the Universe it’s our pleasure to write you today. A wise Sensei once said

“The first in importance is, love God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other instruction that ranks with these.”

Now give yourself every advantage; because today for a limited time, We are providing you with an opportunity to transform poopy diapers like this piece of Junk Mail into gold…and if you act now, maybe even Bitcoin.